Take Michigan back

Dear BTL,
After taking a good friend's advice, my anger and mourning are over. I am gradually gaining a sense of how to channel my anger and frustration about all aspects of this election into constructing a vision of how to move forward in the aftermath of this attack against our community.
The Faith Action Network played a tremendous role in the work against Proposal 2. Many of our allies/clergy groups did great work, such as those in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. In total we got over 300 clergy to come out against 2, as well as several large denominational bodies. We organized over four press conferences in one day garnering more than 22 media outlets to cover our "No on 2" message. We held 11 vigils across the state with hundreds coming out in witness against 2. We held canvasses, phone banks, sermonized against 2, and did all we could as people and communities of faith against 2.
In the almost two years since FAN was established, we have built a strong network. However, these attacks against us will not go away, so we need to grow stronger, wiser, and be prepared and proactive for what is to come. AFSC/FAN is gearing up to launch our "FAN-OUT" initiative in which we are going to build a stronger Michigan, to take back Michigan from the hands of the extremists. All this talk after the election about "moral values" has me sitting stunned about how the Right has successfully hijacked the language of people of faith. In Michigan this has taken many forms such as their "Conscientious Objector" health care bills, "protecting families," "family values," "pro-life," etc. Nothing could be further than the truth.
In the next year, I want FAN to take back language. We will work towards building a movement based on the morality of Justice, the morality of Peace, and the morality of making sure ALL are taken care of in our society. Morality based on exclusion is always bankrupt and that's what they're selling to folks. If we can teach that to the citizens of Michigan and build messages that resonate with how a beloved community benefits us ALL, I think we'll gradually move Michigan towards justice. What is morality when there is no justice in your community?
I ask all of you to join me in this. We need a stronger FAN in Michigan – will you help to make it happen? Please contact me if you are interested in Taking Michigan Back. Our new FAN-OUT project will begin shortly and I want to tell you more about it.
Michael Gibson-Faith
Program Director, the American Friends Service Committee LGBT Project
www.afsc-fan.org